This is a copy of the slides presented at the meeting but not formally written up for the volume.

Engineered nanoparticulate systems are anticipated to lead to advances in understanding biological processes at the molecular level and progress in the development of diagnostic tools and innovative therapies. Nanoparticle based imaging agents such as fluorescent dye-doped silica nanoparticles, quantum dots, gold nanoparticles, etc. have overcome many of the limitations of conventional contrast agents (organic dyes) such as poor photostability, low quantum yield and insufficient in vitro and in vivo stability. Additionally, the development of multifunctional nanoparticles, which can be detected simultaneously by multiple techniques e.g. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Optical Imaging integrate the advantages of high sensitivity (from optical method of detection, e.g., fluorescence) with the potential of true three dimensional imaging of biological structures and processes at cellular resolution (e.g. via MRI). Microemulsions have attracted considerable interest as potential delivery vehicles for drugs with poor aqueous solubility as well as for drug detoxification. Several favorable properties of microemulsions such as transparency, easy of preparation, sterilization and nanometer droplets size (providing a relatively high interfacial area and low interfacial energy) have made them suitable for drug detoxification applications. In this presentation, highlights of advances made in synthesis, characterization and performance evaluation of nanoengineered particulate systems in targeted areas such as imaging of biological specimens using photostable nanoparticle based imaging probes, pulmonary therapeutics, and microemulsion mediated detoxification of drugs will be discussed. The toxicological assessment of selected systems will also be presented.